


Adèsso e Fortuna

by CinnamonnyBunny



Series: Rain of Stars [1]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW Comics), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:26:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29688798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnamonnyBunny/pseuds/CinnamonnyBunny
Summary: A chance meeting in an alley following their return from Northampton introduces the turtles to a dangerous new Foot Clan assassin, one determined to finish a job she started, and find themselves with a terrified new charge.
Series: Rain of Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181753
Kudos: 1





	Adèsso e Fortuna

**Author's Note:**

> More boys in the next chapter. Just needed to do some setup.

The School of American ballet, one of the premier dance schools in the nation. The students here had already proved their worth as dancers, and it was rare they had many worries outside of their studies and their training. For one Sakiyo Takabe, however, this was hardly the case. School, dance, and a particular extracurricular that other students might not have expected. And now, she was reviewing a note from one such extracurricular, pacing back and forth in her empty dorm room. She shared the room with her roommates, Liona Vizioso and Odette Villemont-David, but at the moment, she found herself blissfully alone. At the moment, the other girls were out, leaving her the time to stew over the situation, and the instructions she had been given.

She chewed her thumb for a moment or two, considering. She needed some time to plan, to make certain that just her target was in the room when everything happened. She needed to make sure that they were alone if she was to manage any of this. The master did not suffer failure, and she could not fail.

Slowly her eyes drifted to the trio of beds arranged carefully near the window. Her own was sparsely decorated, at least compared to the other two girls. Sighing a bit, she walked over, sitting on her bed as she reread the message again. Handwritten in Japanese, emblazoned with a single mon at the bottom: a stylized footprint in bloody red.

It had been written by Master Shredder himself.

The recent clash had been a disaster, after all. She’d been there when it had gone wrong, with many of the city’s crime families either being decimated or fleeing, fully intending at that time to try to take advantage of the chaos. One of those families had been the Vizioso family, seeking to regain its foothold. Sakiyo had been placed here, of course, to keep an eye on her well before things had gone sideways. Now, though, her mission was no longer just to watch the other girl. It was to send a message.

The other girl was of little consequence. A soft-hearted girl, born into old money, who danced at the school because she loved to dance, not because of family expectations or a convenient way to keep one’s self in an environment presumed safe or useful. If Sakiyo played her cards right, she could keep the fair haired girl out of the situation entirely and that would be the end of it. Sure, she would be sad learning about Liona’s death, but that would pass, and as investigations waned, the worst that would happen would be a passing mention of wondering: who had killed Liona Vizioso.

Folding the note and tucking it away in a small container for later destruction, she took in a deep breath and then let it out, moving to the wall instead. A schedule was pinned there, showing where each girl was at different times of day. She just needed to see if she had any free time when she and Liona were both out of class or rehearsal but Odette was not present. There were a couple of times, but the window of opportunity was slim in each case. She would just have to act fast, then, and hope that it would be fast enough to avoid any suspicion amongst their many classmates. Folding her hands in front of her, she lifted them and closed her eyes, taking in and letting out a deep breath as her forefinger and thumb pressed against her lips.

In reality, she only had one shot at this. If she was discovered or witnessed and didn’t do something about it, the whole plan could fall apart. Her own life hung in the balance.

So it was settled. Letting out a sigh, Sakiyo opened a drawer, taking out her packed away clothing before popping out a hidden compartment, sliding out the panel to reveal a neatly folded black uniform underneath, accented with red. She needed to get changed and call in her back-up. If they moved quick enough, and the schedule remained as repetitive and simple as it had for months now, she just had to rely on Odette’s dedication to practice and Liona being as timely as ever after her own rehearsal to see her through.

She tried to be as quick as she could in changing out of her normal clothes and slipping into a space to hide, only acutely aware of two other figures slipping in through the window to find their own spots in the darkened room. They were ninja of the Foot Clan, tried in fire, tested, assured. They could finish this quickly and be done with the matter without anyone being the wiser.

When their chance came, she was overjoyed. The door opened, and as young Liona Vizioso stepped in, the three ninja were on her, two to hold her in place as Sakiyo herself drew her wakizashi, reading off the “charges” to a terrified and silenced woman before driving the blade through her heart, ending the hunt in one swift movement. A quick photo to send to the master’s chunin to confirm the deed was done, and that retribution against the don who had dared to defy the Shredder had been carried out. But with all things, even her work serving their glorious leader, the situation could change in a heartbeat.

“Liona? I’m gonna walk over to Match 65 for dinner, do you wanna come?”

The voice belonged to Sakiyo’s other roommate, who - by her calculations - should have still been at rehearsals. She was a dedicated dancer, and there never should have come a moment when she happened upon this scene. Sakiyo herself had planned to plant herself to “find” Liona while Odette was still at rehearsals, citing a mob hit for her death and leaving it at that. But before she and her accomplices could scatter, the door had opened, and the young woman on the other side opened it to a grizzly sight.

Nothing could have prepared her for what awaited her on the other side. The window was wide open, with three figures standing in all black standing over a motionless figure on the floor. For a moment, none of them moved, but looking down presented the girl with a terrifying look at just what had been happening in the moments before her abrupt entry: it was Liona, eyes wide and glassy, with a bloodied stab wound in her chest.

Odette did not consider herself a person given to cowardice, but having no fear in the face of other things certainly didn’t count murder. Blue eyes flew wide as felt her breath catch, taking a step back towards the door. One of the figures in black was approaching, holding some kind of short blade. It was bloodied.

Whether Sakiyo had intended to kill her other roommate was inconsequential now. Odette was now a witness who could speak the truth about what she had seen in this room, and unfortunately, that needed to be rectified.

As for Odette, she was done wasting time. With one last look over the gathered figures, and a second horrified glance at Liona’s body, she did the only thing she could think to do:

She ran.

* * *

The commotion of the chase was hard to miss, especially for another group of ninja on patrol. They had heard suspicions that the Shredder may bring swift retribution on those he saw as wronging him in the wake of that awful battle, and the eldest of the four mutant brothers had taken to heart a hard-learned and uncomfortable truth: those that wronged the Shredder faced justice that struck out at the heart, and if it suited him, attacking family was always well within their purview. It had been through Donnie’s investigations that they’d determined to patrol near the ballet academy, as on the far side of town, Mikey and Raph tailed the grandson of a different mobster. Both equally tempting targets for the Foot, so a divided approach felt necessary.

It didn’t surprise either of the brothers when they heard screaming from inside the building, and it wasn’t long before one of the side doors slammed open and a girl who was definitely not the target bolted out.

What caught their interest, however, was the trio of Foot assassins who were chasing after her. Giving Donnie’s arm a nudge, Leo immediately took to the shadows to pursue. It was hard telling why they were after her… maybe they had missed a clue, or maybe this was something else. What was true, however, was that someone was in danger down there.

For the most part, other people avoided the pursuit. It was dark, and the streets by the studio weren’t as crowded as they were during the day, leaving few to question whether this was a legitimate issue or some kind of performance art. But the two pursuing mutants above were wiser, watching the chase below, knowing full well that if the Foot assassins caught up to their prey, it would be difficult to reach her in time to protect her.

A turn down an alley and the boys moved, bounding across rooftops to keep line of sight. The target hadn’t realized it, but she had run straight into a darkened dead end… but while in any other situation this would have been a poor move for her, she was unaware of her mystery protectors closing in on the fight.

Down below, the young woman had just realized the folly of her turn, pressing her hands against the cold, dirty back wall with wide eyes, giving an anxious, frightened sound in the back of her throat. She didn’t know these streets as well as she thought she did, and now she was trapped, with the sounds of her pursuers closing in behind her. “No! Oh no, no no no… no, this can’t be a dead end…”

“Tough break, Odette.” The girl snapped her head around as the leader of the three strode forward, pulling back her hood to reveal Sakiyo beneath, her expression flat and focused. “It’s a pity, too. I liked you a lot. You didn’t have to get all tangled up in this, but then you went and stuck your nose in where it didn’t belong.”

Wide blue eyes followed every movement the other girl made, her back pressed as tight to the wall as she could manage. But before the dark eyed assassin could take another step forward, her path was interrupted by a line of neatly thrown kunai embedding themselves in the pavement. Her head snapped up, eyes narrowed, to find a pair of figures silhouetted against the light of the street.

Neither one of them moved, but one of the two lifted an arm, and streetlight glinted off the katana they held, briefly casting a glint of light over what appeared to be strangely green skin. “I don’t think you’ll be giving this young lady any more trouble tonight, assassin. Leave her alone.”

Sakiyo’s lip curled back. She knew that voice from months before… the turtles had returned from their self-imposed exile, that much she knew, but that they would step out so brazenly stunned her. “This girl means nothing to you. Lay down your weapon and let me finish my work. She’s seen too much, and honor demands she be silenced.”

“Honor, honor, honor… get some new lines. The young lady didn’t do anything but be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and quite frankly, what she saw wasn’t exactly ninja-like “honor” either.”

The pair jumped down, then, and in the street lights illuminating the alley floor, it was easier to see who had come to the girl’s aide. Leo stood paces in front of his younger brother, katana held at the ready as Donnie spun his bo idly, though the movement was clearly practiced, easily prepared to swing into combat in a moment’s notice.

The assassin gave a frustrated growl, reaching for her own weapon. “If you turtles won’t mind your own business, then I’ll mind it for you. Just as soon as I deal with this-!”

Had Leo been a split second slower, he may not have made it. But he’d trained hard, learned to anticipate the movements of his enemies, watching as Sakiyo’s stance shifted ever so slightly. Before she had even started to turn, he was moving, and as Donnie spun to deal with her companions, he rolled in front of the Foot soldier to bring up his katana, just barely deflecting her wakizashi in time to prevent it from piercing her terrified target’s chest. “Sorry, miss. Stay back- we won’t let them hurt you.”

Already shaken by the terrifying and almost surreal situation she found herself in, Odette could only nod dumbly, still pressed as tightly as she could get up against the wall. Leo wasted no time, not even waiting for the nod as he moved forward, katana clashing against wakizashi as he drove the assassin back. Donnie was having little trouble himself. He may not have been the best fighter of his siblings, but the thugs assisting the assassin seemed to be little more than lackeys. Besides, once he had them handled, he could get around to helping Leo with his target.

Not that this was of any comfort to the terrified girl who had sunk down against the wall, clutching her dance bag to her chest, pale eyes round as she watched the almost surreal scene before her. And she drew back even further when Sakiyo cursed and drew back as she barely missed having her legs taken out from under her by the wide swing of a bo staff.

Growling a bit, Sakiyo cast a glance at the terrified girl before her attention returned to the turtles. “You win this time, turtles. But you can’t protect her forever. Once she’s run you off… we will make sure she never speaks.”

A split second later, she had retrieved a handful of pellets from her pouch before slamming them into the ground, disappearing with her lackeys before it had completely cleared. Leo heaved a sigh at that as his brother glanced over at him, rubbing the back of his head as he turned, looking down at the young woman tucked tightly up against the wall. “...sorry, ma’am. We were too late to help your friend, but… we’re going to help you all right?”

She didn’t respond, seeming to try to press further back into the wall, as Donnie sighed. “And screaming in 3, 2, 1…”

But the screaming didn’t come. The girl instead tried to stand, wobbly, even more pale than she had looked when they’d seen her on recon. “...you… you saved my life. Who… what…”

Before any other words could cross her lips, all at once, she weaved. Leo took a step forward, and was just fast enough to catch her when she crumpled, a startled expression overtaking his face. “Donnie-?”

“Probably just fainted. Shock, I’d wager.” Walking over, he pressed his fingertip against the side of her throat as Leo scooped her up properly, holding the dance back with one hand. “We should take her to April’s. It’s close, and at the very least safe.”

Leo nodded, glancing down briefly at the limp figure he’d found himself holding. “You’re probably right. We can figure out a game plan from there.” Adjusting the girl in his arms, he tossed his younger brother the dance bag. “Here. Easier to run if I’m not carrying her and the bag. Let’s move.”

* * *

For a couple of skilled ninjas, getting to the apartment on the other side of town didn’t take as long as one might think. Over the din of sirens and the sounds of radios calling out about a murder at the School of American Ballet, as well as the chaos of a student fleeing what appeared to be a woman with a bloody sword, they made their way to their friend’s block, carefully moving down the fire escape to slide inside, with Donnie calling out once they’d gotten in.

Casey was, thankfully, out at the moment. The poor girl Leo was carrying didn’t need to deal with his particular brand of loud vigilanteism while trying to come to. And when she came around the corner, the redhead stopped to stare for a moment or two before gesturing at the young leader’s armful a bit incredulously.

“Leo, Donnie, what-... you brought an unconscious girl into my apartment.”

The tone April took was one Leo was familiar with, though he did do his best to tune it out a bit as he moved past the redhead to place the unconscious girl on the couch, a grimace overtaking his features. “Yes, we’ve brought an unconscious girl into your apartment.”

April stared at him a moment, incredulous, before folding her arms over her abdomen. “Is there a reason you brought an unconscious girl into my apartment?”

“She’s being chased by the Foot Clan.”

“She… why? She looks like she couldn’t scare a seagull off a fry.”

Leo shrugged, trying his best not to match her gaze just yet. “She witnessed them murder someone.”

Now April’s tone turned as incredulous as her gaze, and she took a step forward. “She witnessed a murder-?!”

“At the School of American Ballet.” He glanced over at her now, trying to appear much calmer about this situation than he generally felt. Dealing with the Foot was one thing, but grabbing up a girl and running with her was a little bit outside of his wheelhouse. “Her roommate, the one who got killed, was Don Vizioso’s daughter… the other was a Foot assassin.”

“You’re telling me that the Foot Clan employed a ballerina assassin.”

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

April paused at that, rubbing her temples for a moment as she started trying to get her thoughts sorted. Glancing at a nearby television, currently playing the breaking news story, she finally looked back. “Wait. Is this the girl that was running…?”

“At the school?” Donnie asked, returning from a brief slip into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. “Yes. She was the Foot assassin’s other roommate. She seems to have witnessed the actual murder, which means now the Foot Clan wants her dead. You know how it is. Typical ninja stuff.”

April gave him a dry look before going to grab a washcloth from the hall closet, soaking it with cool water before walking back out. “Poor girl’s probably scared half to death by all this “typical ninja stuff.” Kind of evidenced by the fact that she’s unconscious. Was she hurt…?”

Leo shook his head a bit, leaning against the side of the couch as he watched April tend to their unexpected guest. “No. At least not that we saw. It looks to me like she just fainted from shock.”

“Well… small miracles, I guess.” Sitting on her knees next to the couch, she reached over to pull the dance bag closer as Donnie set it down, making sure it was near if the girl woke up quickly. “The news said her name was-”

“Odette Villemont-David. Usually lives with her adopted parents, her uncles, in an old brownstone in the upper west side, but as an older student at the School of American Ballet, she lives in the dorms while studying. Much like the target, Liona Vizioso, and the assassin.. ” Donnie interrupted, setting the glass he’d had in his free hand down on an end table. “Found her info doing research on Liona’s roommates to try to keep an eye on her. Though fat lot of good that ended up doing. This might spark another gang war.”

Leo shook his head a bit at that, tapping his fingers impatiently against his bicep, brow furrowing. “I don’t think it will. Everyone chose their sides after the… incident, before we left for Northampton. A lot of the bigger groups were wiped out, and Don Vizioso didn’t have many loyal men left. Killing his daughter wasn’t picking a fight, it was sending a message.”

“A message that crossing the Shredder gets the people you love killed.” April frowned at that, glancing briefly at Leo, who was very pointedly keeping his gaze anywhere but on anyone else in the room. “It’s tragic. It’s not like that girl asked for her dad to be some sleazy mob boss. And this poor girl was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Frowning a little Donnie pushed himself up to walk over and watch as the news continued its reporting on the scandal. “A death at the School of American Ballet is going to get a lot of attention, so our assassin likely knows she can’t go back. But we know she’s going to try to track down this girl again.”

“So we keep an extra close eye on her. Keep two of us on-hand where she lives, be that if she goes back to the school or with her family. At least until we can deal with the threat.”

The three fell silent for a moment as the news droned on, and it was as they did that a sound from the couch caught April’s attention. The young woman was waking up, turning herself onto her side with a soft groan, one hand coming up to rub her forehead softly. “What…?”

Almost immediately, April was moving, reaching up to shoo the boys away as her free hand went for the water glass. “Miss Villemont-David? It’s okay, you’re not in danger. At least not here. Do you remember what happened?”

For a moment, the girl didn’t answer, pulling her knees up to her chest as she rubbed her head, too dazed to register that she was neither in her dorm nor in her own home. “...I remember… something happening to Liona…?” Trailing off for a moment, she fell silent, until all at once her head snapped up and her wide blue eyes focused on April, realization and fear overtaking the disorientation of waking up from her faint. “Liona! I saw- she was stabbed, Sakiyo stabbed her! Wh- where am I, who are you, I- I need to tell the police-!”

April immediately leaned back slightly, putting up her hands to reveal she was unarmed except for the glass of water. She tried to keep her voice level, fully understanding the fear the poor girl must be feeling… she’d been there herself, not so long ago. “Hey, hey, shh, it’s okay. My name’s April O’Neil. My friends brought you here after they found you being chased by that girl, the one that hurt your friend.” She reached out, then, offering the glass of water. “Those people that went after her, that attacked you… I know who they are, and my friends have dealt with them for a long time.”

“Your friends?” She squinted for a moment, still not taking the water, her brow furrowing. “...those… people? That saved me in the alley? They’re your friends?”

Slowly, April nodded, still holding the water within arm’s reach. “I know they don’t look very… conventional. But they’re really good guys. They got you away from the killer and brought you here, because they knew you’d be safer. We can get you back to your family, but… they might have to keep an eye on you for a while.” She smiled when the glass was finally taken, resting her hands in her lap. “You’re in good hands, Miss Villemont-David. I promise.”

“...it’s Odette. Please. And thank you.” Odette’s hands tightened briefly around the glass as she looked around the room. “This is all so… it’s crazy, you know? I just… I don’t understand why this happened. Liona never hurt anyone. Your friends know who did this?”

April let out a sigh at that question, glancing towards the door to the kitchen. “They do. In a way. It’s a lot, and it took me a while to really wrap my head around it. I don’t doubt it’ll be pretty similar for you. Guys, can you come on back in? You should probably introduce yourselves.”

She had no more than spoken than the two mutant turtles slipped out of the kitchen where they’d both withdrawn, Leo leading as Donnie fell slightly behind. Odette immediately curled up tightly, wide eyes peering over the glass of water April had handed her… but to her credit, she didn’t scream. At least not yet.

Leo drew up short before he reached the couch, clearing his throat briefly and looking more awkward than April had ever seen him. It’s like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop as he spoke. “...hi.” He paused. When no screaming took place, he took a breath and let himself continue. “My name is Leonardo… and this is my brother, Donatello. I’m sorry… about your friend. And for what happened in the alley. Were you hurt?”

There was a pause, and finally Odette swallowed, speaking just loud enough to be heard. “...you’re named for Renaissance painters?”

“Astute, this one,” Donnie muttered. Shaking his head, he spoke up. “Yes. Which is not the question I expected you to ask, but I guess it could’ve been worse. Are you in pain, Miss Villemont-David? Were you hurt at all?”

She blinked a few times when he asked, then finally shook her head, slowly uncurling as she stretched her legs out in front of her on the couch. “No, I wasn’t hurt. The run didn’t… running didn’t really hurt any. I do more than that dancing.” When she fell silent again, it seemed that she fell into thought, furrowing her brow as she looked down at the glass before asking, quietly, “She really did kill Liona, didn’t she?”

“She did.” Leo walked over to put a hand on the back of the couch, watching as Odette turned her head to look up at him, expression clearly distressed. “I’m sorry. I know how terrifying this must be… but while we weren’t able to stop the Foot Clan from killing your friend, we’re going to keep you safe. You have my word.”

For a moment, she said nothing. But while her expression remained sad, she at least gave an attempt at a smile and a little nod, tucking her knees up close to her again. “...thank you. This is… it’s a lot. I still can’t believe what I saw, I…” She trailed off, then sighed softly, closing her eyes. “Poor Liona… I just never thought Sakiyo was that kind of person.”

“People can surprise you,” April stated gently. “And it’s not like you could’ve known that she was… well. A trained assassin. That’s part of their deal, being able to hide that kind of thing. It’s gonna be tempting for you to blame yourself, but don’t. You didn’t know she was being targeted, and you couldn’t have known what your other roommate was up to. Okay?”

Peering around the room again at her rather unusual group of new acquaintances, Odette could feel herself just wanting to break down. It was all so much to take in at once, and the odd haze from having fainted in fear and shock seemed like it had worn off. Gently handing the barely touched glass of water back to April, she sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Thank you. All of you. It’s…” Her voice broke and she took a moment, hugging her legs and pressing her face into her knees. “I just can’t believe this is happening. What am I supposed to do? Can I tell the police?”

“You can, but I doubt it’ll do much good.” Donnie folded his arms over his plastron, turning his head to gaze out the window, where the gloom of dusk had given way to a starless night. “I don’t doubt your family will want you to. That’s your choice, but we’ll be keeping an eye on your home regardless.”

April gave a little smile, reaching over to pat Odette’s leg with what she hoped came off as sisterly comfort. “The guys will handle everything. You’ll see. Things will look better in the morning.”

* * *

As the night wore on in April’s apartment, across town, a very different conversation was taking place. Sakiyo was kneeling in front of her master, head down, one fist resting on the floor as she gave her report in regards to the mission. She was still frustrated, angry that they’d been spotted… and angrier still that the turtles had intervened, allowing the one witness to their attack to escape with them. “The girl was an unexpected setback, Master Shredder.”

The man in front of her would have towered even without counting his height. He stood with his shoulders back, eyes narrowed past the helmet he wore. He struck an unsettling air, a sort of silent power that Sakiyo had learned to respect from the moment she had begun her training, watching him walk through the ranks of the students, deciding their paths with some strange sixth sense none of them could ever begin to understand. Who would pass, who would fail… he knew before they ever even began their first round of training.

She had been among the extremely lucky. Selected out of so many to be one of the Foot Clan’s elite assassins, she had been fast tracked for success. He had seen in her the determination, the drive, that would push her to succeed. Now, however, he was watching her with an expression that read silent disappointment, his fury just barely reined in.

“Two turtles should be no consequence for one of my finest assassins. And yet, I learn that you were witnessed and that the witness escaped due to their intervention. I am… disappointed.”

Sakiyo ducked her head further, furrowing her brow. “I’m sorry, Master Shredder. My assistants were sloppy, and both were defeated by the weakest of their number. The other, Leonardo, was a much greater risk. We had no choice but to retreat. It will not happen again. Give me one more opportunity. Let me find the girl and finish what I started. I will not fail you.”

He didn’t respond immediately, watching her in silence before he finally turned away, blood red cape swirling with his movement. “See that you don’t. You have one more chance. Kill the girl. You know the consequences if you fail me.”

Fear clenched in her belly at his words, a threat she knew was far from empty. Her brow furrowed tightly as she steadied her breath, forcing it out in her sharp reply as he moved to walk away. “Yes, Master Shredder.”

She didn’t move to stand until after he had walked away completely, leaving her to let out a breath and stand, wheeling on the two soldiers standing behind her. “Get your gear. We will tear this city apart until we find that brat… and then?” Stalking past the two, she headed out of the great hall, fists clenched at her sides as her dark eyes narrowed. “We end this.”


End file.
